The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-08
THE LONG AND SHORT HAUL.

The first official decision of the Interstate
commerce Commission is likely to provemo
important in its later consequences than in its
present results. The decision referred to is
that granting the Southern railroads suspen-
sion of the long haul section of the
law for ninety days. This section Of the law
has elected more discussion and more varied
construction than any other. 1t is as follows:
SECTION 4. That it shall be unlawful for
any common carrier subject to the provisions
of this act to charge or receive any greater
compensation in the aggregate for the trans
portation Of passengers or Of like kind of
property, under substantially similar circum-
stances and conditions, for shorter than for
longer distance over the same line, in the
same direction, the shorter being included
within the longer distance but this shall not
be construed as authorizing any common car
rier within the terms of this act to charge and
receive great compensation for shorter as
for longer distance; provided, however, that
upon application to the commission appointed
under the provisions of this act, such COM
mon carrier may, in special cases. after inves-
tigation by the commission, be authorized to
charge less for longer than for shorter dis
tances for transportation of passengers or
property; and the commission may from time
to time prescribe the extent to which said
designated common carrier may be relieved
from the operation of this section of this act"
Whatever its meaning or application may
be, this section is regarded in railroad circles
as the most important one in the law. The
Southern railroad companies by their officers
and attorneys, came before thescommission at
its first meeting, and asked for suspension
of this clause as to the Southern roads on the
ground that the conditions of the railroad
business IN the South were entirely different
from those in the North, it being sparsely-
settled country, with little local traffic, inter-
sected by water lines, etc. How we'll founded
these representations are cannot be known,
but that they had weight with the commits
sion of the most important section of the law
for period of three months in all the section
of country south of the Ohio river and east
Of the Mississippi would seem to be pretty
large exercise of discretionary power on the
part of the commission. The most important
aspect of the decision is that it opens the door
for every railroad company in the country to
ask for a suspension. Of the law on one
ground or another, and may thus lead to a
virtual notification of the law, chipping it
away piecemeal The law had its origin in
the South, Congressman Reagan, of Texas
being its father and for several years its most
persistent advocate. It is little singular
that, while all Northern railroad companies
had prepared themselves for an immediate en-
forcement of the law, the Southern companies
should come up in body and ask for a sus-
pension of its most vital provision on the
ground that it would interfere with business
We fear the decision of the commission will
have an unsettling effect in railroad and COM
mercial circles.